Germany’s Sabine Lisicki beat fifth seed Caroline Wozniacki 6-2 6-4 in the final of the Family Circle Cup to claim her first career WTA title and cap the most unlikely run in the tournament history.

Lisicki, seeded 16th, won the title being ranked 63rd, and became the lowest-ranked player ever to win the Family Circle Cup. The 19-year-old Lisicki has climbed to No.43 after the victory.

Danish teenager Caroline Wozniacki added fourth seed Elena Dementieva to the list of top players who exited the tournament too early, which already includes Dinara Safina, Vera Zvonareva, Ana Ivanovic and Jelena Jankovic.

While the four women lost in the third round or earlier, Dementieva was a bit better,  falling to the WTA Tour's newcomer of the year 2008 7-5 6-4 in the fourth round.

Jelena Jankovic’s terrible 2009 season is rapidly going even more downwards. After losing her opening match at the previous tournament, the BNP Paribas Open, Jankovic succumbed to Gisela Dulko in her opening match at the Sony Ericsson Open. Venus and Serena Williams, on the other hand, continued to do well, and both advanced to the third round in straight sets.

Top-ranked Serena Williams has been named the WTA Tour Player of the Year for the second time in her career.

The 10-time Grand Slam champion, who won the same award in 2002, claimed the US Open title last year and reached the Wimbledon final. She also won Bangalore, Miami and Charleston, as well as a gold medal with sister Venus in the doubles at the Beijing Olympics.

Other awarded players:

Cara Black and Liezel Huber - Team of the Year

Serena Williams attended the official Slumdog Millionaire and The Wrestler post Oscar Party at ONE Sunset in West Hollywood, California. She also went to the 17th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation's Academy Award Viewing Party held at the Pacific Design Center.

The tennis star opted for this leopard print gown and simple accessories including the black flap and small earrings. (photos via Down the Line)

By reaching the singles and doubles finals at the 2009 Australian Open, world No.2 Serena Williams broke golf star Annika Sorenstam's record for career prize money by a female athlete with nearly $23 million.

Even if Williams is to lose both championship matches, she would leave Australia with career earnings of about $22.7 million, overcoming Lindsay Davenport, who used to hold the record in women's tennis, by more than $500,000, and Sorenstam's total by more than $150,000.